Coin controlled electrical clock



h- 1935. T. A. FOSTER 1,988,786

COIN CONTROLLED ELECTRICAL CLOCK Filed April 20, 1955 17 INVENTOR.

BYW

ATTORNE Y5,

Patented Jan. 22 1935 UNITED STATES 1,988,786 m CONTROLLED ELECTRICALCLOCK Thomas A. Foster, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Herbert CarlBernsten, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application April 20, 1933, Serial 120,667,092

10 Claims.

"This invention relates'to an electrically operated' clock which shallat the same time be used as a'savings bank by the owner or user, and isprimarily designed for use by banking institutions, insuranceunderwriters, and the like, as an advertising and business-stimulatingmedium.

An important object of the invention is to provide an electric clockwhich shall also be a good medium for encouraging regular saving ofsmall amounts of money for specific purposes as well as for generalpurposes, inasmuch as the same is constructed so as to be inoperableunless coins are regularlydeposited therein.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a very novelcoin-operated switch which is of simple construction and efiicient ofoperation, and'not likely to get out of order, even under .longcontinued use.

Other and further important objects of the in.- vention will be apparentfrom the disclosures in the accompanying drawing and followingspecification.

. The invention, in a preferred form, is. illustrated in the drawing andhereinafter more fully described. 7 t

In the drawing:

Figure l is, a front elevation of an electric clock constructedaccordance with the principles of this invention, the dial and frontwall of same having been removed. I

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, lookingin the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 31s a top plan view of the clock mechanism when removed from thecasing.

As shown in the drawing:

The reference numeral lo indicates' the outer casing of an electricclock, in which is shown positioned a clock chassis 11 mounted over adrawer or compartment 12 for the reception and storage of coins.

The clock design employed to illustrate the present invention is a typegenerally known and readily available in the market. It will be obvious,however, that the invention can be applied to other clock movements aswell. The drawing,

, therefore, shows only such parts of the regular "clock movements asare essential in disclosing this invention.

' Mounted between the dial (not shown) and the clock movement, andsecurely attached tothe chassis 11 of the latter, is a coin chute 13 ofmetal, the upper open end of which isin registration with acorresponding slot opening 14 cut into the upper portion of the clockscabinet 10. The lower opening of the coin chute 13 is located at andsecurely attached to the coin compartment 12. 7

Two notches 15 and 16 are cut out of the material of the coin chute 13,at an angle to each other, as shown in Figure 1. e I

Mounted on the forward wall of the coin chute 13 is a long leaf spring17 which is securely anchored to the chute by means of rivets 18 and 19,at its upper and lower ends respectively, between which points it isflexed as best shown in Fig- '10 Also mounted on the forward portion ofthe clock chassis is a lever assembly composed of two metal levermembers 20 and 21. The lever 21 is pivotally attached to the upper crossmember 15 -22 of the clock chassis by means of a screw or the like 23.The other lever member 20 extends horizontally from the member 21, towhich it is pivotally attached at 24, to a point in conjunction with theleaf spring 17. At this point the 20 lever 20 is provided with a pair ofinsulated projecting studs or'the like 25 and 26, between whichprojections the leaf spring 17 is arranged, as best shown in Figure 1.

' Themember 20 also rides between a pair of pins- 25 27 and 28 extendingoutwardly from a diagonally positioned chassis frame member 29.

Integral with the member 20, and extending downwardlythereirom is aV-shaped projection 30, the lower left edge of which is adapted to con-'30 tact a stud or the like 31 projecting forwardly from a small timinggear 32 located on the main driving shaft 33 of the clock movement.

The lower end of the member 21 is tapered, and its right lower edge isadapted to contact a stud 35 with When the clock movement is inoperation the "gear 32 moves clockwise, while the second'gear 35 40rotates in a counterclockwise direction. Thus it will be noted that whenthe stud 34 has contacted the lever member 21 while the clock is inopera tion, this lever will be forced toward the left, the stud 26 ofthe other lever 20 in turn forcing the" leaf spring 1'7 toward the leftand across dead center, whereupon the spring 17 suddenly moves into theflexed position shown by the dotted lines at 36 in Figure l. Theassembly 20-2125' 26 30 and the ears 32 and 35 with-their attachedprojections will then have assumed the respective positions shown by thedotted lines in Figure 1. 5

The return of the spring 17 and lever assembly 2021 to-their originalposition is accomplished os when the stud 31, which travels with itsgear in a clockwise direction, contacts the V-shaped member from theleft, whereupon the forcing of the spring 1'7 toward the right andacross the dead center by the stud 25 causes the same to move suddenlyinto the original position shown by the solid lines in Figure 1.

If the gears 32 and 35 are provided with only one stud each, it will beapparent that the reciprocatin'g motion of the'spring '17. willtake'place whenever the gears 32 and 35 have completed one fullrevolution. I

Situated near the lower end of the coin chute 13 and fastened to thelowerci'o'ss member ofthe clock chassis 3'7 but insulatedltherefro m isa bifurcated metal element 38 pivots-on shaft 1 39, one end of whichshaft acts as a binding post for contact with one end 40 6f: aneleotiic'line' lI the other end 42 of which is grounded to the clockchassis at another point 43, all as best illustrated iin l ure Anadditional .w e 4 onv ys electrio current from the element 38. to a coilor. the

ike 45- The element 38 has an upper prong 46 and a lower prong 47 whichextend into the notches 15 and. 6. e pec iv y of h c i chute 13. and mve nt or. out o the. same accordin .to the motion .9 the; eltlment 38upon its shaft 39 and within the limits imposed by a pair of studs 48and 49 which project frQ n. the insulation block 50 which is. po-

sitioned between the element 38 and the chassis cro s membe 33 I'he ro s46. and 4'? are of lesser thickness than. the width of the coin chuteinterior, so that they at no time directly, contact the latter.

. T9 he u p r-prong 46 of the element 38 is rigi ly xed a, latera l ofiet arm or the like, 51,

q he. extre e. ut r end i w ich are. attached We stud 5 a d 53, betw enw ch the spr n m rt-flanged, a be own. in Eisures 1 and 2.

It w 'be. o y us, r f elthatt rowing i e prina owa d he eit willcausethebiiur ated elemen a d. pronsstoas umethemslo i i 1d i u ate em nt orosi the circuit and allowing current to be supplied to hecl ck mo me hemech sms nsu te at Q.-.55 6 n to voi clo in f e e trical circuit throughmeans other than the coin co nec o It is; intended thatv the necessaryconnection shall be made by a coin, which theowner or user of theclock-bani; desires to. deposit therein as avin s cc m n h u o e hMention. also rqy dts by a single mechanism,

. cgins to be delivered to the coin'oompartment 12 at enua t. is esitelto e n-used the kh v pri 17 dappu enanc smaybei either of the positionsheretofore specified, and a qnnect qah rips p e Qudrh m ab h byeqenqttinstht l c r Pe il 4. to ase r w the clock may be operated. Tostart the clock movement it is then only necessary to manuallyimpart-motion to the flywheel 60 through a slight manipulation. ofthe-proper handle provided at tliebac liof .thejc l oe'k by themanufacturer.

The clock will then continue to run for a predetermined period-of timeregulated by the position of the studs 31 and 34 on the gears 32 and 35.

When the time has arrived for deposit. of the first coin into the coinreceptacle 12, thispwillbc accomplished by the stud 34 throwingthetlevers 20 and 21 and the spring '17. into thepositions-asillustrated by thedotted linesin Figure 1,.whereuponthe element;.33 willpivot so as to withdraw its lower prong 4'7,- from support of thecoinandalowing the upper prong 46. toincline toward .the interior of the coinchute 13. The coinsoreleased will, of course, fall out of contactwiththeelement 38 and into the, receptacle 12. and. the

electrical circuit. will thus. be broken, stopping the clock movement,unless therebe a second coin above it in thev coin slot, the.latterconditionbe- ,ing indicated in Figure. 1 by. the positioning ot asecond. coin therein over. the first coin as. shown by the. dottedlines, in which case thev upper coin would immediately become obstructedfrom further. descent by the. upper. prong 46 which has enteredthe slot13. at thesame time the lower prong 47 was withdrawn. "The action of thepronged element 38 is so rapid during the change in coin contacts thatthe momentary disconnection of power does not stop the clock movement inthe interim, as the flywheel 60 causes the movement to proceeduninterrupted for-severalseconds afterthe first electricalcontact isbroken.

The action is preferably timed to permit the *clock movement to run fortwenty-four hours in one cycle and the dropping of-coins into the coinreceptacle ats'ome'suitabletimein the interim.

' In the event the first coin is insertedwhilethe apparatus isin theposition shown by the dotted lines'inFigure' lfthe coin would, 'ofcourse, come to rest uponthe'upper-prong of thefmemb er 3 forming, theecessar electrical contact, At

m rrow the? et r m w iia s ve' i ys t ete" em pe ed. h i e would w thmechanism to assumethe position shown by the a I 60 solid lines inFigure '1, and the coin w u d "thus droppast the upper prong 4 6and-come to rest p nt e owe P one t r m tueh 2954 tion 'until thecloseof the given twenty-four hour eri d, at whichtime it. wouldbe releasedby the action fof the stud 34 upon the lever assembly Z'QfZl anddroppedinto the coin receptacle.

""Ifhecoin ireceptaole or drawer 12is referahly equipped with a lockarrangement which would t hq ze i' t ee Lam awarethat. many changes may,be made PI Pl .W l of e mt tat e iisb t and. numerous details" ofcqnstructign aried throughout a wide rangewithout departing ifrom il?tifi' tles ii h s m e is aand wart medo not purpose limiting the patentgranted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A coin-controlled electric clock, comprising the usual clockmechanism including gears, and means for delivering current to themechanism for a predetermined time, said means including a coin chute,and a combined coin supporting and delivery means adjacent the chute,together with elements for operating said coin supporting and deliverymeans, said elements including pins on the clock gears, a. leaf springassociated with the coin supporting and delivery means, and a system oflinks and levers operatively associating the gear pins and the leafspring.

2. A coin-controlled electric clock, comprising the usual clockmechanism including gears, and means for delivering current to themechanism for a predetermined time, said means including a coin chute,and a combined coin supporting and delivery means adjacent the chute,together with elements for operating said coin supporting and deliverymeans, said elements including pins on the clock gears, a leaf springassociated with the coin supporting and delivery means, and a system oflinks and levers operatively associating the gear pins and the leafspring for flexing the same into and out of coin delivering position.

3. A coin-controlled device, including a coin chute, coin supporting anddelivery means adjacent the chute, a leaf spring connected with saidcoin supporting and delivery means for shifting the same into and out ofcoin supporting and delivering position and means for instituting a snapaction of the leaf spring.

4. A coin-controlled device, including a coin chute, coin supporting anddelivery means adjacent the chute, a leaf spring connected with saidcoin supporting and delivery means for instantaneously shifting the sameinto and out of coin supporting and delivering position and means forinstituting a snap action of the leaf spring.

5. A coin-controlled device, including a coin chute, coin supporting anddelivery means adjacent the chute, and a leaf spring connected with saidcoin supporting and delivery means for shifting the same into and out ofcoin supporting and delivering position, and means for operating thespring.

6. A coin-controlled device, including a. coin chute, coin supportingand delivery means adjacent the chute, and a leaf spring connected withsaid coin supporting and delivery means for shifting the same into andout of coin supporting and delivering position, and means for operatingthe spring, said means comprising a system of links and levers.

7. A coin-controlled device, including a coin chute, coin supporting anddelivery means adjacent the chute, a leaf spring connected with saidcoin supporting and delivery means for shifting the same into and out ofcoin supporting and delivering position and means for instituting a snapaction of the leaf spring, and electrical means associated with thechute whereby the insertion of a coin thereinto completes an electricalcircuit.

8. A coin-controlled device, including a coin chute, coin supporting anddelivery means adjacent the chute, a leaf spring connected with saidcoin supporting and delivery means for shifting the same into and out ofcoin supporting and delivering position and means for instituting a snapaction of the leaf spring, and electrical means associated with thechute whereby the insertion of a coin thereinto completes an electricalcircuit, and whereby the dropping of the coin therefrom breaks thecircuit.

9. A coin-controlled device, including a coin chute, coin supporting anddelivery means adjacent the chute, a leaf spring connected with saidcoin supporting and delivery means for shifting the same into and out ofcoin supporting and delivering position and means for instituting a snapaction of the leaf spring, and electrical means associated with thechute whereby the insertion of a coin thereinto completes an electricalcircuit, and whereby the dropping of the coin therefrom breaks thecircuit unless two or more coins are in the chute.

10. A coin-controlled device, including a coin chute, coin supportingand delivery means adjacent the chute, a leaf spring connected with saidcoin supporting and delivery means for shifting the same into and out ofcoin supporting and delivering position and means for instituting a snapaction of the leaf spring, and electrical means associated with thechute whereby the insertion of a coin thereinto completes an electricalcircuit, and whereby the dropping of the coin therefrom breaks thecircuit unless two or more coins are in the chute, said delivery meansallowing of the dropping of a single coin at a time.

THOMAS A. FOSTER.

